5 disciplines link up
I always find these things mid-challenge…I don’t care, I’m doing it anyhow, starting now with Courtney’s week 3 as my week 1. You can join me if you want, but I’m doing it for me regardless.
Purpose to not read ANYTHING else before you have read God’s word for at least 1 minute in the morning. Do not read the newspaper, facebook, a spiritual devotional or check your email. Go straight to God’s word first. And in case you think 1 minute seems a bit stingy with our time – I want to suggest – that once you get started most likely you will go for much longer than 1 minute. But I want this to be doable. After reading your Bible, I encourage you to leave your Bible in the kitchen open and everytime you walk past it, pause to read it for 15 seconds and then go on. Squeeze all the nourishment you can out of the scriptures you are reading.
I know from my own experience, that one minute will turn into 10-15, even more on some days. I started in James. It has been one of my favorite Scripture passages since I was a young girl, there is just something so practical about it. It’s been a long time since I sat and read through it, I needed the reminders from chapter 1 today;
1 ~ remembering I’m a bond-servant of the Lord. ~from dictionary.com
bond servant
noun
- a person who serves in bondage; slave.
- a person bound to service without wages.
2-4 ~ remembering the purpose for the trials allowed by God are for my good…building my endurance…making me perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5-8 ~ The Giver of wisdom is not stingy, but He’s not presumptuous either. He waits for me to ask for wisdom, and when I do, in faith and without doubting, He lavishes it on me. If I am double minded in my prayer, not only can I not expect Him to give what I request, but I’m at risk for becoming unstable in all my ways. Lord, give me the faith I need to ask for your gift of wisdom without doubting.
9-11 ~ Looking again at the contrast of the rich and poor, and the paradox that James illuminates. Do I see my humble circumstances as a place to “glory” in? why not? It’s easy to forget our spiritual need when we have an abundance of material wealth. Along with material blessing comes a sufficiency in ourselves. We easily forget it is God that provides the “daily bread”, and all that we have and hope in will one day be burned away, then what will be left?
12 ~ I’m blessed! I am in the process of being tried so that I can be approved. I read somewhere that when silver is tried in the fire, the silversmith is able to tell when it’s finished by his ability to see his reflection in the melted silver. I do want God to look down on me and see His reflection clearly in me.
13-18 ~ My carnal desires and temptations are not God’s fault. If I entertain my own temptations, they will eventually lead me to sin. This also is not God’s fault. Sin brings forth separation from God. This also, is not God’s fault or His will. God gave the perfect gift, His son as a remedy for my sin. In Him is every good thing that we receive. He is enough.
19-27 ~ Lord, make me a better listener, slow to speak, and slow to anger. I know that my anger does not fulfill your righteous purpose for my life, and it’s a poor motivator for those you put in my path. Help me receive your word, and appropriate it to my personal life. Don’t let me be the person that walks away after hearing and agreeing with your word, only to forget it. Help me “do” what I say I believe. Work Your word in and through me today, so that I may be both blessed and a blessing to others. Put a guard over my tongue, may the words I speak be Your words, pleasing to you and beneficial for building others up. Help me remember the kind of religious person you would have me be, one that cares and provides for others in their distress, and one who walks in this world without being shaped by it’s mold.
New Things 